The smell of clay and iron had become part of Betim's identity. With each passing week, the povoado stretched just a little farther — a new cart trail cleared, a new stable built, another family arriving with little more than hope and a name. The quiet river town was now a living map, redrawn daily by the hands of laborers, scribes, and merchants loyal to the crest of the Barbosa family.
Marcos had become more than a name. He was now a force — one not crowned, but chosen.
And the world beyond Betim had begun to take notice.
A Seat Among Shadows
Marcos sat across from Baltazar in the dim lantern-lit study of the estate. On the table between them lay two sealed letters. One bore the red wax of Curral Del Rei's regional council. The other, a plain folded page — unsigned, but with unmistakable intent.
"You've been invited," Baltazar said, eyes on the council seal.
"And warned," Marcos replied, tapping the unmarked page.
The council's letter was clear: an invitation to attend the next gathering of influential merchants and civic figures. The stated goal was a discussion on trade corridors and law enforcement coordination across the province.
But the anonymous message? A simple note:
"Growth is tolerated. Dominion is not."
He read it twice. Then tossed it into the fire.
The Families of the Surrounding Lands
As Betim grew, so did the interest of neighboring powers. Marcos had begun forging quiet relationships with regional families — not through gold, but through contracts, trust, and consistency.
The Monteiros of Contagem, known for their grain silos and caravan ties, entered a deal to provide carts and mule services in exchange for shared control over two waystations Marcos had built near the river forks.
The Pereiras of Esmeraldas, a reclusive but respected family, agreed to grant access to their stone quarries. In return, Marcos offered to build a new chapel in their district — to be run by their nephew, a young priest seeking reform.
From Sarzedo, a local smith's guild sent emissaries requesting rights to distribute the ceramic tiles produced in Igarapé — eager to benefit from the prestige and growing demand surrounding the Companhia da Sombra's architecture.
Each agreement was personalized, documented, and deliberately local.
"Let the Empire think we are nothing but merchants and builders," Marcos told Ana.
"By the time they realize otherwise, we will already be their foundation."
The Whisper Beneath the Stone
In a hidden chamber beneath the western warehouse — sealed by stone, with torchlight only — the Nove Dedos had grown quiet… and sharper.
Tobias returned from Sabará with troubling news: a rival merchant house, the Vilarins, had begun questioning Betim's rapid rise, and were possibly petitioning provincial officials to investigate Marcos's operations.
They had even hired a chronicler to track the flow of goods leaving Betim and compile a dossier on the Companhia da Sombra's finances and affiliations.
Tobias had already replaced the chronicler's assistant — a quiet girl from Santa Luzia — with one of their own.
"Let them watch," said Marcos calmly. "But let us choose what they see."
He authorized the construction of a hidden storage depot beneath the tile factory, designed to conceal contraband items, emergency coin reserves, and communication scrolls. The Nove Dedos would now operate along two tiers — visible messengers and invisible hands.
The People Look to the Crest
At the market square, the gear-and-flame crest of the Barbosa family was now everywhere:
Carved into bread loaves at Sunday feiras.
Painted onto the side of grain barrels.
Stamped onto the new permit slips for merchants entering Betim.
A young boy, perhaps nine, approached Marcos after one of his open meetings beneath the fig tree. The child handed him a drawing: a cart with the family crest, traveling across the countryside.
"One day," the boy said shyly, "will we have roads that go all the way to the ocean?"
Marcos smiled.
"Yes," he answered. "And you'll ride on them as a free man."
The System Awakens
That night, while reviewing the newly signed agreements, the system chimed:
[Mission Complete: Forge Regional Alliances – Phase I]
✔ Partnerships established with Contagem and Esmeraldas
✔ Local production diversified
✔ Threat identified in Sabará
Reward Unlocked: Blueprint – "Encrypted Ledger with Dual Access Protocol"
New Mission Available:
"Consolidate Civil Presence: Submit Urban Charter Proposal for Betim to Curral Del Rei Council"
Marcos's expression hardened.
Urban charter.
The words were dangerous — but necessary. For if he didn't define Betim, someone else would.
"Then let it be our words," he whispered.